


Returning Home

by hornblowerfic_archivist



Category: Hornblower (TV), Hornblower - C. S. Forester
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-10-21
Updated: 2006-10-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 01:45:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 3,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6065980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hornblowerfic_archivist/pseuds/hornblowerfic_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the story about a young heiress named Kaelly who'd been mistakenly sent away from her birth family after she was born to live with another one and how the birth family decided that they really want their daughter back with them after all the years that she'd been away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Versaphile, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Hornblowerfic.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Hornblowerfic.com). Deciding that it needed to have a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in January 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact the e-mail address on [Hornblowerfic.com collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hornblowerfic/profile).

Since the day of her birth, Kaelly had been under the protection of Amber, her Guardian and her family. Amber had found the baby girl early one morning on the front stoop wrapped tightly in a few blankets with a brief note hastily written and fastened to the babe's outer blanket.

Happily surprised, the older woman took her in and treated her as one of her own children, naming the little one Kaelly after one of her female cousins. Under Amber's loving care and teachings, she grew up without a want or need for anything.

Her new siblings accepted her easily without any problems, teasing and playing with her just like their Mother did. Amber would feel a grin appear on her face as she heard their happy laughter coming from the open door that led to the children's room as she walked past headed to her own room knowing that one of them was caught in a tickle-fight started by the other two siblings and that playful retaliation was soon to be gained.

 

  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Amber has shoulderlength cherry red hair with reddish gold highlights in it. She stands at about 5'5" with blueish grey/hazel colored eyes. She usually wears it straight down or with the sides pulled back to keep it out of her eyes when the breeze blows off of the ocean.

Amber is very friendly, slightly wary of new people until she gets used to them. She can be helpful when need arises or playful depending on the mood that she's in at the time or the person that she's talking with

Kaelly's got long tawny auburnish colored hair with a few strands of light coppery red highlights in it. Her skin is tanned an almond brown and her eyes are an emerald green in color. She's got a heartshaped face with a cute little button nose right in the center. She's got a smattering of freckles on her skin but you wouldn't know it unless you were standing right next to her as her tan hides them. She's got a scar on her right leg from being bitten by a canine when she was a little girl. 

Kaelly has a very bubbly personality. She's playful and loves teasing her siblings with anything that she can get away with, but she doesn't do it in a mean or spiteful way though, she just likes to see people grinning and happy or in a good mood.

During her adventures while growing up, she became familiar with several of the people who also owned the nearby plantations that grew pineapples and sugar cane. 

One hot afternoon, Kaelly noticed a naval ship that sailed towards the docks of her home. At first, she shrugged it off as just another supply ship's dinghy dropping off and picking up supplies to head on its merry way afterwards. 

"Mother, I think we've got company coming." She called out to Amber after grabbing the spyglass and double checking it to make sure that she was correct in her assumptions as she'd seen a dinghy being lowered into the water and heading towards the beach totally ignoring the ramp. 

"Who's heading our way, Kae?" She asked curiously after hearing her daughter's call and heading over to the beach where Kaelly sat in a tree to watch the boats go sailing by. 

"Not sure Mother, but whoever they are they have a look of importance about them." She commented sounding puzzled as to the nature of their appearance.


	3. Returning Home

 

Hearing the reply from Kaelly, Amber walked out into the wave wash and watched cautiously as the dinghy approached the shore and making a groove into the sand to keep the small craft steady, the finely dressed man got out and walked over to where the older woman stood.

"Greetings, Ma'am. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Horatio Hornblower, Captain of the HMS Hotspur." Horatio said after introducing himself to her.

"Its nice to make your acquaintace, Captain. I'm Amber." She replied blushing slightly as he bowed over her hand polietly. "What can I help you with, Captain?" She asked after his courtesy towards her

"I'm looking for a young girl, who was taken or mistakenly taken from her birth home after her arrival and now her family in realizing their mistake wants her back with them."

Kaelly, who'd been sitting in the tree listening to their conversation, climbed out of her tree and made her way over to her Mother's side and slipping her hand into the older woman's. "That's sad, of course, for the other family but what makes you think that of all the places that she could be taken to, that she would be here?" Kaelly queried him polietly.

 

"Why don't we take this conversation indoors, hmm?" Amber said inviting the Captain polietly. "There's a pot of cold tea and some sandwiches waiting for us indoors." Looking at her youngest daughter, she sent her back into the plantation to get everything ready for their guest. After a polite nod towards the Naval officer, she left them to do as bid.

 


	4. Returning Home

Meanwhile back on the ship, Lt. William Bush watched and waited to see if this tip that they'd gotten from a serving girl who'd served them drinks at a bar for finding the missing girl would pan out as they'd followed so many of them so far only to have them turn out to be dead ends or the wrong person entirely.

Leaning against the starboard side railing on crossed arms, he briefly closed his eyes and deeply inhaled the aroma of the ocean mingled with the faint but heady perfume of the native flowers. 'I wonder if we're not on some wild goose chase and if we do happen to get lucky enough to find the girl here what would make her want to come with us anyway? After all, she's got a family who loves her here why would she want to leave that?' He thought to himself after opening his ice-blue eyes and glancing out at the vast expanse of clear turquoise colored water that surrounded the ship.

Looking around at the crew working on their tasks, he watched them for a while before turning his head to again glance out at the sea, feeling a warm breeze run through his auburn hair ruffling the short locks and making the sails billow out before returning them to their original position.


	5. Returning Home

After the tour of the interior of the plantation, the small party found themselves at the table where the forementioned sandwiches and glasses holding the ice for the drinks waited for everyone on the sidebar.

Grabbing an empty plate and loading it up with food, Horatio glanced up and noticed the paintings as well as the pictures of the family including the children during their growing up years. Peering curiously at both the paintings and photographs of Kaelly, he opened up the folder and then glanced over at the young girl in question and realized that they'd finally found her after all of the clues and tips given to them over the trip.

A look of surprise appeared on the Captain's face as he made the connection. "Captain, is there something wrong? Are you ill?" Kaelly asked as she glanced up from her meal and also noticed the same look appear onto his face.

"No, I'm not ill, just surprised is all. Tell me child, how long have you lived here?"

"All of my life, as far as I can remember, really. Why? Why are you asking me?" Kaelly queried the Captain curiously "You look remarkably like this girl here." Horatio replied after passing the closed folder down for her perusal.

Opening the closed folder, Kaelly found herself staring back into her own eyes of an almost mirror image of herself. Blinking suddenly, she ran a shaking hand through her long tawny colored hair with a few strands of light coppery red highlights in it. Except for her tanned brown skin, the color of the skin in the picture was slightly pale but the eyes were the same, an emerald green in color. The face was shaped in the form of a heart with a cute little button nose right in the center.

Looking up at the Captain in shock then over at her Mother, she hastily excused herself from the table and left the room for some air, a queasy, faintish feeling running through her body at seeing herself and wondering what would be happening to her next.


	6. Returning Home

Sliding down the side of the manor into the dry sand, Kaelly wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on the tops of her knees. Her long hair fell forward covering her ears and part of her face.

'What do I do now?' She mentally asked herself. 'This is the only family that I've ever known since I can remember. I just can't leave here to go to a place with people that I don't know. Maybe it could be worked out that if I don't fit in over there, then perhaps Captain Hornblower could bring me back here.'

"Kaelly, there you are." "Everyone's looking for you." Chaz said softly to the stunned girl as he wrapped his arms around his younger sister gently rocking her back and forth.

Resting her head on her older brother's shoulder, she released her pent-up emotion and wet his shirt with her tears. "Chaz, what am I supposed to do? I..I just don't know.. I've been here with everyone for twelve almost thirteen years then out of the blue, another family who says that I'm *their* daughter sends a naval captain to come and fetch me back to their home like I'm a long lost piece of property without any thought for me, my feelings or anyone else's for that matter." She said sniffling and wiping her eyes inbetween comments.

"Do what you feel comfortable with, Kaekae." He replied softly using his nickname for her as he gave Kaelly another tight hug and placing his cheek on the top of her head and softly rubbing her back to comfort her.


	7. Returning Home

Nodding at his advice, Kaelly intertwined her fingers with his as they made their way back towards the front of the manor proper. "Well, if I am to go back with the Captain to a place that I don't remember, Chaz, I'm going to have fun with everyone here while I still can." She commented with a slight watery-looking grin that didn't quite reach her hazel eyes.

Amber saw her with him and relaxed against the porch. Catching Chaz's eye over her youngest daughter's head, she nodded understanding while she watched them head towards the docks where Tayala sat soaking up the rays of the sun. "Allow me to show you to the guest quarters, Captain Hornblower. Kaelly won't be going back with you just yet." The Matriarch told him with a serious glance towards the steward in charge of that department.

Hearing footsteps heading towards them, their sister nodded and dove headfirst into the clear turqoise water where the other two followed suit and soon all three of the siblings happily splashed and played in the warm water. Swimming out to the open cove where the Hotspur was moored in the slightly deeper waters, Kaelly soon heard the calls from the sailors on board, calling her a mermaid.

Their calls soon woke Lt. William Bush out of his daydreams and he headed over to where the action was. Seeing the young girl playing in the water and swimming dolphin-like around the hull of their boat her auburn hair trailing behind her, he grinned at her antics behind his hand, his blue eyes sparkling and twinkling with amusement as he watched her play.


	8. Returning Home

After her final week of play, swimming, and fishing was over and she'd said her verbal goodbyes and hugged her family for the last time, Kaelly got into the dinghy that Captain Hornblower used on his trip from the Hotspur to the island and headed back towards the HMS Hotspur.

Kaelly, the sides of her long auburn hair twisted and braided into an intricate design by Tayala and held in place by a seashell-covered hairclip the rest left free against her back, sat in the dinghy in her island clothes empty handed but a head full of memories of her life with them, trailing her hand in the water feeling the ocean against her fingers not knowing when she'd be able to feel the freedom of swimming in it again.

Glancing from the bow of the dinghy towards the middle, Horatio watched Kaelly with a heavy heart while she did so. 'Ah, lass. I wish things were very different, but there's another family who wants you back.' He thought while watching her.

When they reached the boat, Horatio helped her out of the little craft and onto the Hotspur proper. "You'll be staying in Lt. Bush's cabin with him since it'll be much safer that way, m'lady Kaelly." Horatio told her nodding at a tall, serious looking sailor that approached Hornblower at the nod of his Captain.

"As you say, Captain Hornblower." Kaelly replied softly glancing up and into the bluegrey eyes of the male guardian that would be responsible for her until they reached port in England.


	9. Returning Home

Once a spare hammock became located, it was securely fastened on the wall catty corner to the location of Lieutanant Bush's. Sitting in it cross-legged, Kaelly listened to the orders coming from both the Captain and her guardian to get the ship underway. While Bush was on deck, the door to his cabin remained closed to both keep her safe from the other sailors as well as giving her a bit of privacy. When the door was shut, she was able to see all sorts of activity going on through the windows.

During mealtimes, she ate in the Captain's quarters with both Hornblower and Bush. "This boat is so big, how do you keep track of where everyone is and what they do?" Kaelly asked them one night during their evening meal. "It takes skill, but once you become familiar with everything, lass, it becomes second nature to you." Bush replied to her question after swallowing his mouthful of food.

At night after the sailors got dismissed and the Hotspur was coasting gently among the waves, she left him to his reports and work as she headed out onto the deck to see the water and get a breath of fresh ocean air. Seeing her return, he stopped what he was doing and watched her enter their cabin then close the door behind her.

"Homesick, Kaelly?" Bush asked her.

"Yes, a little bit." She replied nodding slightly then heading over to her hammock, got into it and propped her head onto her hands, watched him under half-closed eyelids, a thought bringing a mischievious smile to her face. "Just why are you looking at me like that and what are you thinking about, little one?" He asked curiously. Bush by now was just wearing his white shirt, having already removed his heavy outer coat and hat as well as releasing his hair from its braid while he sat at his desk.

"Oh, no reason, really. Its just that you seem so serious all of the time, is all." 'I don't see you smile much, Guardian mine, but you will be tonight'. She thought quietly. The young girl said while watching him the way a cat would watch a mouse. Waiting for him to finish what he was doing and head to his own cot before she followed through on her little plan.

She bid her time wisely and soon Bush was done and that's when Kaelly quietly got out of her hammock and remembering all of the tickle fights that she'd had with her siblings back on the island, decided to subject her new guardian to one as she thought that he didn't smile enough for her liking when they were alone.

Catching him off-guard with a back massage, she used her tiny hands to easily relax him and once Kaelly was sure that he was completely relaxed, she sprung her surprise on him by slightly switching gears locate all of his tickle-spots watching carefully until a grin appeared and soon he was helplessly laughing under her skillful attack.

Chaz had taught her well when she was growing up and he gave her a few secrets in the art of tickle-fighting, which she put to good use on Bush unmercifully but sucessfully by her standards. "Kaelly....lass.....st..stop..please...no..no..more"Bush requested in a helpless laugh-filled breathy voice as he squirmed in his cot while her fingers danced on his tickle spots. Tipping his head back, gave her another target to aim for and moving one hand to his neck from his sides gently tickled Bush under his chin and along the sides of his neck coaxing a few more laughs and by now a few mirth-induced tears from him and soon his warm laughter started to fill the small cabin echoing off of the walls like thunder before a storm. After one last pass over his sides and elsewhere, she stopped and backing out from behind watched him recover from her sneaky attack.


	10. Returning Home by BlueTwilight

While she'd been doing that, Kaelly'd heard a pair of heavy boots walk past their cabin and felt the night breeze of the ocean touch her skin softly at the open door as the captain peered at the interior of it. Feeling a wide grin appear on his face at the sight of what was happening to his lieutenant at the hands of his charge.

Closing the door behind him, Horatio shook his head at the scene that he'd witnessed as he continued on his walk back to his own cabin as his quiet laughter floated on the night air as he opened the door to get ready for bed.

Kaelly watched Bush slowly calm down from her sneak attack and wipe away at the mirth-induced tears on his cheeks glancing over at his charge, his bluegrey eyes dancing and a grin on his face in response to what he'd just gone through.

"Lass, you.. are.. quite.. sneaky and clever." Bush said managing to get himself back under control, eventhough a smile still remained in place as he glanced over at Kaelly. "Where did you learn that particular technique?" He asked curiously.

"I learned it from watching my older brother when he and my sister, Tayala, would have their little matches. He taught me almost everything I know regarding sneak attacks during tickle fights." She said sounding proud about it as she changed positions on her hammock.

"Hmm..perhaps Captain Hornblower would like a sample too?"

"Perhaps, I'd just have to do it when his attention was elsewhere, like tonight after the evening meal."


End file.
